BACKGROUND

The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of a social-ecologic intervention on health-related fitness (HRF) knowledge and behaviors of students (n = 62) living in rural areas.

METHODS

A prepost test control group design was constructed. In addition, qualitative data were collected by focus group discussions in the experimental group. Physical activity environment of a middle school was changed based on the social-ecologic model (SEM) with a focus on intrapersonal, interpersonal, community level, organizational factors, and public policies related to physical activity behavior. Health related fitness knowledge (HRFK) test, pedometer, and perceived physical activity self-efficacy and social support questionnaires were used for data collection.

RESULTS

Experimental group had significant improvement in HRF knowledge scores, physical activity levels, and social support compared with the control school students. The focus group results also supported the quantitative findings by indicating a perceived increase in physical activity opportunities; knowledge sources; and support from others.

CONCLUSIONS

This study underlines the importance and positive outcomes of SEM in improving HRF knowledge, physical activity level, and social support of students in rural middle school settings.

Passband balanced steady state free precession (b-SSFP) fMRI employs the flat portion of the SSFP off-resonance response to obtain microscopic susceptibility changes elicited by changes in blood oxygenation following enhancement in neuronal activity. This technique can reduce geometric distortion and signal dropout while maintaining rapid acquisition and high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) compared with traditional fMRI techniques. In the study, we developed a novel multi-phase passband b-SSFP fMRI technique that can achieve a spatial resolution of a few mm3 and a high temporal sampling rate of 50ms per slice at 7Tesla. This technique was further applied for an event-related (ER) fMRI paradigm. As a comparison, gradient-echo echo-planar imaging (GE-EPI) with similar spatial resolution and temporal sampling rate was carried out for the same ER-fMRI experiment. Experiments with visual cortex stimulation were carried out at 7Tesla to demonstrate whether the multi-phase b-SSFP technique and GE-EPI are able to differentiate temporal delays in hemodynamic response function (HRF) separated by 100ms in stimulus onset. Consistent with ERP results, the upslope of the HRF of both techniques can differentiate 100ms delay in stimulus onset, with the former showing a lower level of intersubject variability. The present study demonstrated that the multi-phase passband b-SSFP fMRI technique can be applied for resolving neuronal events on the order of 100ms at ultrahigh magnetic fields.

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of alteration of the exposure parameters of a cone-beam computed tomographic (CBCT) scan on the detection of the presence or absence of simulated horizontal root fractures (HRFs).

METHODS

CBCT scans of the lower incisor region of 5 human, dentate, dry mandibles were performed with 11 different exposure parameters. Ten teeth were extracted, and simulated HRFs were created near the apical thirds of the root. The fragments were reattached and the teeth replanted. The mandibles were rescanned over the same range of exposure parameters. Receiver operator characteristic analysis and kappa analyses were performed to assess diagnostic accuracy and intra- and interexaminer agreement for each scan setting.

RESULTS

The overall Az value (area under receiver operator curve) for the manufacturer's default setting was 0.95. The sensitivity was 0.94 and the specificity 0.96. A reduction in the tube current to 2 mA at 360° or 180° of rotation had no significant impact on the Az value, sensitivity, or specificity of CBCT imaging in the detection simulated HRFs. A reduction in the current to 1 mA at 360° or 180° of rotation significantly reduced the Az value (0.9 and 0.75, respectively) in comparison with the manufacturer's default setting (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

CBCT scans are an accurate and reliable technique to detect HRFs. Within the limitations of this study, it is possible to reduce the radiation dose by altering the exposure parameters without a significant reduction in the diagnostic quality of the CBCT scan generated for the detection of HRFs.

Hyperacute rejection in discordant xenotransplantation occurs due to the complement activation via classical and/or alternative pathway. Regulator of complement activation (RCA) molecules inhibit species-specific complement dependent cytolysis. To confirm the effect of gene engineering using double RCA molecules on xenogeneic cells, the inhibitory effect on complement dependent cytolysis was compared between bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) doubly transfected with both decay accelerating factor (DAF) and homologous restriction factor (<em>HRF</em>) 20 cDNA and BAEC singly transfected with DAF alone using retroviral vector. The positive percent expression of DAF and <em>HRF</em>20 antigen on double transfectant (BAEC/D+H) was 97.0% and 95.0%, respectively, whereas that of DAF antigen on single transfectant (BAEC/D) was 97.0%. After incubated with 25% human serum and anti-BAEC antibody, the viability of double transfectant (BAEC/ D+H) was significantly preserved, compared with that of single transfectant (BAEC/D). These findings demonstrated that xenoendothelial cells doubly transfected with both DAF and <em>HRF</em>20 cDNA could be protected from complement dependent cytolysis more effectively than those singly transfected with DAF alone in the presence of antixenoendothelial antibody.

Use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in studies of aging is often hampered by uncertainty about age-related differences in the amplitude and timing of the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) response (i.e., hemodynamic impulse response function (HRF)). Such uncertainty introduces a significant challenge in the interpretation of the fMRI results. Even though this issue has been extensively investigated in the field of neuroimaging, there is currently no consensus about the existence and potential sources of age-related hemodynamic alterations. Using an event-related fMRI experiment with two robust and well-studied stimuli (visual and auditory), we detected a significant age-related difference in the amplitude of response to auditory stimulus. Accounting for brain atrophy by circumventing spatial normalization and processing the data in subjects' native space eliminated these observed differences. In addition, we simulated fMRI data using age differences in brain morphology while controlling HRF shape. Analyzing these simulated fMRI data using standard image processing resulted in differences in HRF amplitude, which were eliminated when the data were analyzed in subjects' native space. Our results indicate that age-related atrophy introduces inaccuracy in co-registration to standard space, which subsequently appears as attenuation in BOLD response amplitude. Our finding could explain some of the existing contradictory reports regarding age-related differences in the fMRI BOLD responses. Hum Brain Mapp, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

BACKGROUND

There are limited data on outcomes of hypoxaemic respiratory failure (HRF), especially in non-intensive care unit (ICU) settings.

OBJECTIVE

To assess outcomes in HRF (without multi-system disease and not requiring early intubation) of patients directly admitted to a Respiratory High-dependency Unit (R-HDU).

METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study of HRF compared to hypercapnic respiratory failure (HCRF) in a R-HDU (2007-2011). Patient characteristics (age, gender, pre-morbid status, diagnoses) and outcomes (non-invasive ventilation (NIV) use, survival, ICU admission) were assessed.

RESULTS

There were 1207 R-HDU admissions in 2007-2011, 205 (17%) with HRF and 495 (41%) with HCRF. The proportion with HRF increased from 12.2% in 2007 to 20.1% in 2011 (P < 0.05). HRF patients were younger, more often male and had better pre-morbid performance. Compared to HCRF, HRF was more frequently associated with lung consolidation (61% vs 15%, P < 0.001), interstitial lung disease (12% vs 1%, P < 0.001) and pulmonary hypertension (7% vs 0%, P < 0.001) and less frequently with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (24% vs 65%, P < 0.001) and obstructive sleep apnoea (8% vs 26%, P < 0.001). Fewer patients with HRF were treated with NIV (28% vs 87%, P < 0.001), but NIV was discontinued early more often (28% vs 7%, P < 0.001). A total of 18% with HRF was transferred to ICU compared to 6% with HCRF (P = 0.06). More patients with HRF died (19.5% vs 12.3%, P = 0.02). Interstitial lung disease, consolidation, shock, malignancy and poorer pre-morbid function were associated with increased mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Initial R-HDU management is an effective option in selected HRF to reduce ICU demand, although mortality and clinical deterioration despite NIV are more common than in HCRF.

The goal of this work was to determine a correlation between the VE-cadherin and circulating endothelial cells (CECs) blood levels at hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) of different severity and research association between the VE-cadherin gene c. 1550T>C missense mutation and HRFS severity. Significant decreasing of the VE-cadherin and increasing of CECs blood levels in the course of the disease in all studied groups was established. Most prominent changes were found at severe type with complications. There was found a strong negative correlation between these two indexes. There was significant high frequency of homozygotic genotype *T/*T at severe type with complications. It was concluded that there was increased endothelium desquamation due to the VE-cadherin internalization at moderate and severe uncomplicated types of HFRS and as a result ofVE-cadherin gene c. 1550T>C missense mutation at severe type with complications.

Enterobacteriaceae are now the predominant pathogens isolated in patients with liver cell failure associated with bloodstream infections. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients who were admitted for the diagnosis of hepatorenal failure (HRF) between June 1999 and May 2008 to investigate the risk factors of Enterobacteriaceae bacteremia (EB). EB was defined as the isolation of an EB species from at least one blood culture within three months following diagnosis of HRF. Variables were collected from the medical records and analyzed in relation to EB. Twenty-four (32.5%) of the 73 patients developed EB. The origin of EB was abdominal in 21% of the patients, urinary in 12.5%, pulmonary in 16.5%, and primary in the remaining patients (50%). Two-thirds of EB occurred within 10 days following the development of HRF. The main pathogens were Escherichia coli (44%), Enterobacter species (20%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (22%). Eighteen patients (75%) with EB died. Variables significantly associated with EB after multivariate analysis were a model for end-stage liver disease score >20 [odds ratio (OR): 2.84, P <0.02], posthepatitis B liver cirrhosis (OR: 4.72, P <0.05), posthepatitis C liver cirrhosis (OR: 3.48, P <0.05), and initial level of serum creatinine on admission to intensive care unit (OR: 2.56, P <0.02). EB is a frequent and severe complication of HRF. Patients with posthepatitis cirrhosis B and C, higher serum creatinine, and severe liver cell failure score have a high risk of developing EB.

Food contamination with heat-resistant fungi (HRF), and their spores, is a major issue among fruit processors, being frequently found in fruit juices and concentrates, among other products, leading to considerable economic losses and food safety issues. Several strategies were developed to minimize the contamination with HRF, with improvements from harvesting to the final product, including sanitizers and new processing techniques. Considering consumers' demands for minimally processed, fresh-like food products, nonthermal food-processing technologies, such as high-pressure processing (HPP), among others, are emerging as alternatives to the conventional thermal processing techniques. As no heat is applied to foods, vitamins, proteins, aromas, and taste are better kept when compared to thermal processes. Nevertheless, HPP is only able to destroy pathogenic and spoilage vegetative microorganisms to levels of pertinence for food safety, while bacterial spores remain. Regarding HRF spores (both ascospores and conidiospores), these seem to be more pressure-sensible than bacterial spores, despite a few cases, such as the ascospores of Byssochlamys spp., Neosartorya spp., and Talaromyces spp. that are resistant to high pressures and high temperatures, requiring the combination of both variables to be inactivated. This review aims to cover the literature available concerning the effects of HPP at room-like temperatures, and its combination with high temperatures, and high-pressure cycling, to inactivate fungi spores, including the main factors affecting spores' resistance to high-pressure, such as pH, water activity, nutritional composition of the food matrix and ascospore age, as well as the changes in the spore ultrastructure, and the parameters to consider regarding their inactivation by HPP.

Keywords: Byssochlamys spp; Neosartoria spp; Talaromyces spp; fungi spores; high-pressure processing.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the clinical effect of combination therapy with high-frequency oscillation ventilation (HFOV), pulmonary surfactant (PS) and inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) in the treatment of neonatal hypoxemic respiratory failure (HRF).

METHODS

A total of 116 neonates with HRF were studied, and they were randomly divided into two groups: triple therapy (n=58) and dual therapy (n=58). The triple therapy group received HFOV, PS, and iNO, while the dual therapy group received HFOV and iNO. Blood gas values, PaO2/FiO2 (P/F), oxygenation index (OI), and pulmonary arterial pressure (PA) were determined before treatment and after 24 and 48 hours of treatment. Among the neonates with different P/F ratios and OI values and with or without persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN), the treatment outcomes of two groups were compared.

RESULTS

The durations of mechanical ventilation and iNO therapy in the triple therapy group were significantly shorter than in the dual therapy group (P<0.01). After 24 and 48 hours of treatment, the triple therapy group had significantly improve PaO2 and PaCO2 compared with the dual therapy group (P<0.01). After 24 and 48 hours of treatment, the neonates with PPHN in the triple therapy group had significantly decreased PA compared with the dual therapy group (P<0.01). In the cases with a P/F ratio of ≤50, the triple group had a significantly higher cure rate than the dual therapy group (P<0.05). In both groups, the P/F ratios of the neonates who died were significantly lower than those of survivors (P<0.01). In the cases with an OI of ≥40, the triple group had a significantly higher cure rate than the dual therapy group (P<0.05). In both groups, the OI values of the neonates who died were significantly higher than those of survivors (P<0.01). In neonates with PPHN, the triple group had a significantly higher cure rate than the dual therapy group (P<0.05). The triple therapy group had a significantly shorter length of hospital stay (P<0.01) and a significantly higher cure rate (P<0.05) compared with the dual therapy group. There were no significant differences in complications between the two groups (P>0.05). No severe side effect was found during the treatment in either group.

CONCLUSIONS

Triple therapy with HFOV, PS and iNO is a more effective treatment for neonatal HRF compared with the dual therapy with HFOV and iNO. The triple therapy can significantly improve oxygenation and survival rate, providing a new treatment for the neonates with HRF, especially the critical cases who suffer severe lung disease with PPHN and have a P/F ratio of ≤50 or an OI of ≥40.

The selection of the appropriate hemodynamic response function (HRF) for signal modeling in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is important. Although the use of the boxcar-shaped hemodynamic response function (BHRF) and canonical hemodynamic response (CHRF) has gained increasing popularity in rodent fMRI studies, whether the selected HRF affects the results of rodent fMRI has not been fully elucidated. Here we investigated the signal change and t-statistic sensitivities of BHRF, CHRF, and impulse response function (IRF). The effect of HRF selection on different tasks was analyzed by using data collected from two groups of rats receiving either 3 mA whisker pad or 3 mA forepaw electrical stimulations (n = 10 for each group). Under whisker pad stimulation with large blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) signal change (4.31 ± 0.42%), BHRF significantly underestimated signal changes (P < 0.001) and t-statistics (P < 0.001) compared with CHRF or IRF. CHRF and IRF did not provide significantly different t-statistics (P > 0.05). Under forepaw stimulation with small BOLD signal change (1.71 ± 0.34%), different HRFs provided insignificantly different t-statistics (P > 0.05). Therefore, the selected HRF can influence data analysis in rodent fMRI experiments with large BOLD responses but not in those with small BOLD responses.

<AbstractText>To identify factors associated with retinal capillary density as measured with Confocal Scanning Laser Doppler Flowmetry (Heidelberg retina flowmeter (<em>HRF</em>)) in the Thessaloniki Eye Study (TES).</AbstractText><AbstractText>Participants of the TES (age ≥60 years, cross-sectional population-based study) were assessed for active capillary density in the superior and inferior peripapillary retina using the <em>HRF</em>. Pixel-by-pixel analysis was performed to quantify the percentage of zero flow pixels (ZFPs; surrogate for % retinal area with non-active capillaries). Multivariable regression analyses were performed to assess the association of non-active vascular density with ophthalmic and systemic variables. Glaucoma, late age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy subjects were excluded.</AbstractText><AbstractText>1189 subjects were included in the analysis. Older age (per year) was associated with higher percentage of ZFP in both the superior (slope estimate (SE)=0.0020) and the inferior (SE=0.0019) peripapillary retina (p<0.0001). History of migraine was associated with lower percentage of ZFP (SE=-0.0166) compared with no history of migraine in the superior peripapillary retina only (p<0.05). Higher intraocular pressure ((IOP) per mm Hg) and height (per cm) were associated with higher percentage of ZFP in the inferior peripapillary retina only (SE=0.0012, p<0.05 and SE=0.0005, p<0.05, respectively). The group consuming vegetables one to three times per week compared with the group consuming vegetables at least once a day had higher percentage of ZFP only in the inferior peripapillary retina (SE=0.0080, p<0.05).</AbstractText><AbstractText>At a population level, our study revealed associations of older age, higher IOP and taller height with lower active retinal capillary density and of migraine with higher capillary density. Looking further into these associations may provide insight into disease mechanisms.</AbstractText>

Histamine-releasing factors (HRFs) are a group of cytokines that cause histamine release (HR) from basophils and mast cells. The concept of the priming effect of cytokines and the heterogeneity of IgE involved in the HRF-induced HR have been emphasized in recent years. In this study, we performed a series of experiments to elucidate the above-mentioned hypotheses. The stock HRF were obtained by stimulating mononuclear cells (MNC) with phytohemagglutinin (PHA). Maximal activity was observed 36 hr after culture. By gel filtration, HRF was eluted with a peak activity ranging from 12 to 18 KD. A large portion (75%) of HRF activity could be neutralized by a combination of antibodies against interleukin 1 (IL-1), IL-3, IL-8, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). The stimulation of basophils with 100 ng/ml each of IL-3, IL-6, IL-7, GM-CSF, or TNF-alpha alone caused 10% HR; however, when the cells were pretreated with 10 ng/ml of either IL-3, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, TNF-alpha, or GM-CSF and then stimulated with anti-IgE, a marked increase in HR was regularly observed. The combination of 100 ng/ml each of IL-1, IL-3, IL-8, GM-CSF, and TNF-alpha could induce only about 20% HR; furthermore, such combinations did not have an additive or synergistic priming effect on anti-IgE-induced HR compared to the effect of single cytokines. Stripping of surface-bound IgE with lactic acid markedly reduced the capacity of basophils to release histamine in response to MNC-HRF and anti-IgE. Passive sensitization of IgE-stripped basophils with high-HRF responders' serum could restore their responsiveness to both MNC-HRF and anti-IgE, but passive sensitization with low-HRF responders' serum could restore responsiveness to anti-IgE only. Moreover, passage of MNC-HRF through high-, but not low-HRF, responders' IgE-Sepharose columns significantly reduced the HR activity of MNC-HRF. Finally, although the eluant could induce only 10% HR, the majority of its HR activity could be restored by the addition of effluent but not by the mixture of IL-1, IL-3, IL-8, GM-CSF, and TNF-alpha, suggesting the presence of a complex interaction among those cytokines. In summary, MNC-HRF contained at least two types of HRF activity; one was IgE dependent and the other was IgE independent.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

We collected individual pools of nasal washings (NWs) from 15 allergic and 15 nonallergic subjects to determine histamine-releasing factor (HRF) activity and to ascertain the relationship of these cytokines with atopic status, basophil releasability, and cell membrane-bound IgE. NWs were concentrated, dialyzed, and assayed with basophils from a single donor. Samples from 12 of 15 allergic subjects and from all the nonallergic subjects revealed greater than or equal to 15% histamine release (HR), 33.5% +/- 21.3% (mean +/- SD) and 38.6% +/- 19.6%, respectively (p greater than 0.05). When we assayed the same samples with autologous basophils, the allergic group demonstrated higher HR than the nonallergic group (31.9% +/- 19.7% versus 4.8% +/- 4.3%; p less than 0.001). A standard lot of mononuclear cell-derived HRFs was also screened with basophils from both groups. Means for HR from basophils of allergic and nonallergic subjects were 51.9% +/- 16.7% versus 26.3% +/- 8.2%, respectively (p less than 0.001). Pretreatment of basophils with lactic acid led to abrogation of sensitivity to HRF. Acid-stripped cells incubated with sera from patients with asthma regained their capacity to release histamine. We found that HRF activity can be detected in NWs of most donors, and there is no difference among allergic and nonallergic subjects. Our results suggest that the capacity of these cytokines to induce HR depends on several factors: atopic status, basophil releasability, and membrane-bound IgE.

Histamine-releasing factor or HRF is a collective term used for a heterogeneous group of factors with different modes of action. The current review is focussed on IgE-dependent HRF that require the presence of certain types of IgE (designated IgE+) to induce histamine release. IgE+ might be a structurally different IgE molecule, or, alternatively, autoreactive IgE. A subgroup of IgE-dependent HRF does not bind to IgE, such as cloned HRF p23. This factor turned out to be a basophil-priming cytokine. Alternatively IgE-dependent HRF might be an autoallergen. Several groups demonstrated IgE antibodies to human proteins. However, not all IgE autoallergen-containing extracts induce histamine release of appropriately sensitized basophils. In culture supernatants of human mononuclear cells an autoallergenic activity (Agmn) is found, but no binding to IgE+ was found yet. Agmn might be an autoallergen, since it is cross-reactive with a grass pollen allergen in the stripped basophil assay. IgE-dependent HRF and IgE+ may play a role in the late allergic reaction (LAR). However, IgE+ responsiveness to Agmn (IgEmn+) was not required for a bronchial LAR. IgEmn+ is associated with chronic allergic disease, since the prevalence of IgEmn+ is high in the serum of severe asthmatics and atopic dermatitis patients. Our hypothesis is that exogenous allergens induce IgE antibodies cross-reactive with an endogenous protein. During a LAR, these endogenous proteins are released and the subsequent IgE-mediated reaction prolongs and aggravates the allergic and/or asthmatic symptoms. In conclusion, HRF is a confusing term since it is used for different activities. It might be better to avoid this terminology on and just describe the activity of the factors. Autoallergenic activity is likely to explain most, if not all, IgE-dependent activity.

A complex network of cytokines mediates the immunoregulatory responses leading to endometriosis. Recent intensive studies suggest that monocyte and T cell chemoattractants contribute to the inflammatory environment of endometriotic implants. The relationship between the inflammation present during endometriosis and the development of endometriotic implants in the peritoneal cavity remains unclear. On the other hand, the association between endometriosis and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD; dioxin) exposure has been discussed in recent years, and our previous results revealed that IgE-dependent histamine-releasing factor (HRF) is inducible by TCDD. The present study aimed to clarify the expression, localization, and function of HRF in endometriosis. Northern blot analysis demonstrated that HRF is overexpressed in endometriotic implants. RT-PCR with Southern blot analysis, however, showed that HRF overexpression was not always accompanied by CYP1A1 induction in endometriotic implants, suggesting that HRF is inducible in endometriosis without exposure to TCDD. HRF is also inducible by macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF). Immunohistochemistry showed CD68-positive macrophages in the stroma of endometriotic implants, adjacent to regions with prominent HRF accumulation. HRF-overexpressing cells exhibited high implantation efficiency in comparison to control cells when the cells were injected into the peritoneal cavities of nude mice. These results suggest that the accumulation of macrophages in endometriotic implants induces HRF; the overexpression of HRF accelerates the growth of endometriotic implants.

BACKGROUND

Enhanced skin mast cell releasability of histamine, increased production of histamine releasing factor (HRF), and cutaneous inflammatory process are the hallmarks of chronic idiopathic urticaria (CU). Although H1-antihistamines are known to alleviate the symptoms effectively in most cases, systemic corticosteroids (CS) are given in more resistant patients. Their mode of action remains a matter of controversy.

OBJECTIVE

In the present study, the effects of a 7-day course of CS or placebo on histamine content and HRF production in non-lesional skin of 19 CU patients were examined.

METHODS

Using the skin chamber technique, HRF production and histamine content were assessed in normal-appearing skin of patients with CU over a 2-h observation period. Those two parameters were measured before and after treatment, in a double-blind fashion.

RESULTS

No significant changes occurred in any parameters after placebo treatment. In contrast with this, significant decrease of HRF activity was observed after 1 week of oral methylprednisolone while no change was documented for histamine secretion.

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest that CS therapy improves symptoms of CU in association with a decreased production of HRF in uninvolved skin.

Cladosporium herbarum represents one of the most important world-wide occurring allergenic fungal species. The prevalence of IgE reactivity to C. herbarum in patients suffering from allergy varies between 5 and 30% in the different climatic zones. Since mold allergy has often been associated with severe asthma, along with other allergic symptoms, it is important to define more comprehensively the allergen repertoire of this ascomycete. In this context we are reporting our successful approach to identify, clone, produce as a recombinant protein, purify and further characterize a new C. herbarum allergen which is a close homolog of the human translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP, also called histamine releasing factor, HRF). The immunoreactivity of both pure recombinant molecules was investigated by means of immunoblot analyses, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays as well as histamine release studies. To summarize, IgE antibodies from five out of nine individuals recognized both the human and the fungal protein in immunoblots. The latter was able to cause histamine release from human basophils with about half the efficiency compared to its human homolog HRF. Cross-inhibition assays showed that the patients' IgEs recognize common epitopes on both the human and C. herbarum proteins, but however, only pre-incubation with C. herbarum TCTP could completely inhibit reactivity with HRF. Furthermore, it appears that patients reactive to TCTP have a higher probability to suffer from asthma than other allergic patients.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of photodynamic therapy (PDT) on retinal functions, such as oxygen saturation, blood flow, and electrophysiological function using Fourier transform-based spectral retinal imaging (SRI), Heidelberg retinal flowmeter (HRF), and multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG).

METHODS

This was a prospective interventional case series. Twenty-two patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with unilateral choroidal neovascularization (CNV) were examined using SRI, HRF, and mfERG before and 1 week and 1 month after PDT. Eleven fellow eyes without CNV and 11 control eyes of 11 age-matched healthy volunteers were also investigated. Eleven of 22 patients with neovascular AMD were retreated using verteporfin PDT and examined using a protocol similar to the one used for the first treatment.

RESULTS

Oxygen saturation levels in the macula of eyes with neovascular AMD were significantly higher than those in normal control eyes (P = 0.026) but were not significantly higher in eyes with nonneovascular AMD. Oxygen saturation levels decreased 1 week after a single treatment (P = 4.59 x 10(-3)) and retreatment (P = 0.0134) and recovered to baseline levels at 1 month follow-up (P>> 0.05). HRF demonstrated reduced mean blood flow at 1 week after single treatment (P = 9.22 x 10(-4)) and retreatment (P = 0.0307). One month after PDT, mean blood flow tended to show recovery. There was a similar decrease in mfERG amplitude 1 week after treatment, but the logarithm of minimum angular resolution (logMAR) vision was stable or improved throughout follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Oxygen saturation levels, mean blood flow, and mfERG amplitude decreased 1 week after PDT treatment in both single treatment and retreatment groups. Although logMAR vision is stable or improved, our data showed transient functional deterioration in the retina after PDT treatment.

Hydroxyl radical footprinting (HRF) is a nonspecific protein footprinting method that has been increasingly used in recent years to analyze protein structure. The method oxidatively modifies solvent accessible sites in proteins, which changes upon alterations in the protein, such as ligand binding or a change in conformation. For HRF to provide accurate structural information, the method must probe the native structure of proteins. This requires careful experimental controls since an abundance of oxidative modifications can induce protein unfolding. Fast photochemical oxidation of proteins (FPOP) is a HRF method that generates hydroxyl radicals via photo-dissociation of hydrogen peroxide using an excimer laser. The addition of a radical scavenger to the FPOP reaction reduces the lifetime of the radical, limiting the levels of protein oxidation. A direct assay is needed to ensure FPOP is probing the native conformation of the protein. Here, we report using enzymatic activity as a direct assay to validate that FPOP is probing the native structure of proteins. By measuring the catalytic activity of lysozyme and invertase after FPOP modification, we demonstrate that FPOP does not induce protein unfolding.

BACKGROUND

The mechanism responsible for chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure (HRF) in patients with COPD remains unclear. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that chronic HRF in patients with COPD is associated with low-frequency fatigue (LFF) of the diaphragm.

METHODS

To test this hypothesis, we measured the twitch transdiaphragmatic pressure (Tw Pdi) elicited by stimulation of the phrenic nerves in 25 patients with chronic HRF (mean [+/- SD] Paco(2), 55.2 +/- 5.2 mm Hg) due to COPD before and 2 months after the initiation of noninvasive mechanical ventilation (NIV) [pressure-cycled ventilation with inspiratory positive airway pressure of 19.0 +/- 2.5 cm H(2)O]. We reasoned that had LFF been present, Tw Pdi should rise after effective NIV.

RESULTS

The treatment compliance with NIV was good (median of machine usage was 7.1 h per night). Paco(2) decreased from 55.2 +/- 5.2 to 48.8 +/- 5.9 mm Hg (p < 0.001), and Pao(2) increased from 53.1 +/- 5.9 to 57.7 +/- 7.0 mm Hg (p = 0.007). Mean Tw Pdi at baseline was 11.1 +/- 6.6 cm H(2)O and after treatment was 11.7 +/- 7.2 cm H(2)O (not significant). Also, maximal static inspiratory mouth pressure did not change significantly (44.3 +/- 15.9 cm H(2)O vs 46.5 +/- 19.7 cm H(2)O).

CONCLUSIONS

LFF of the diaphragm does not accompany chronic HRF in patients with COPD.

Three species of amphibious sea kraits (Laticauda spp.) spend variable time at sea and require fresh water for water balance. Both the rate of cutaneous evaporative water loss and the extent of terrestriality are known to differ among them. Laticauda semifasciata has the greatest rate of water loss and the least extent of terrestriality, whereas L. colubrina exhibits the reverse and L. laticaudata is intermediate. These sea kraits tend to be more abundant at places where there are sources of fresh water, but other factors also influence their distribution. To further clarify the habitat requirements, we investigated the abundance of each species of sea krait at six different habitats and the availability of each type of habitat on Orchid Island, Taiwan. The six habitats were high coral reef without fresh water (HR) and with fresh water (HRF); low coral reef without fresh water (LR) and with fresh water (LRF); sand or gravel coast, which has no coral reef, without fresh water (NR) and with fresh water (NRF). The extent of safety judged from the relative availability of retreat sites, from high to low, was HR, LR, and NR among these habitats. More than 75% of individuals counted for each species were found in HRF. We found no sea kraits in NRF and NR. The most available habitat was LR, but no L. laticaudata or L. semifasciata were found in this habitat. We found 3.3% and 16.7% of L. colubrina in LR and HR, respectively. For L. colubrina, the second abundant habitat was HR, whereas for L. laticaudata and L. semifasciata, the second abundant habitat was LRF. We conclude that both safety (availability of retreat sites) and fresh water are important to the habitat selection of sea kraits. Compared with other species, L. colubrina is characterized by a greater extent of terrestrial habit and possibly greater variety of access to sources of fresh water.

Background: Sleep-disordered breathing (SBD) can be associated with hypercapnic respiratory failure (HRF). Home Mechanical Ventilation (HMV) is the preferred long-term treatment for patients with chronic HRF. We reviewed the database of a large tertiary referral centre for HMV to study the long-term adherence to HMV in chronic hypercapnic patients.

Methods: Data on adherence and characteristics of patients who received HMV for the treatment of SDB were collected over a decade using electronic patient records. The primary outcome parameter in this study was annual non-adherence rate (patients with HMV usage of <4 hours/night in the service divided by the number of all new patients of the same year), secondary outcomes were patients' characteristics and reasons for low adherence. HMV adherence clinics were established to improve uptake.

Results: Two thousand and two hundred twenty-eight patients with HRF were under active follow-up on HMV at the end of the recording period. In contrast, a total of 1,900 patients had their HMV contracts terminated over the course of a decade (due to non-adherence, transfer to other services or death). Out of those, 222 patients {62 [52-72] years, body-mass index, BMI 40 [35-43] kg/m², 58.1% male, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, ESS 9 [4-15] points, 4% oxygen desaturation index, 4%ODI 32 [20-71] × hour^-1, TcCO₂ 6.6 [6.0-7.2] kPa} met the non-adherence criteria (nocturnal usage 0-4 hours). The annual non-adherence rate was 25.5% of all new setups in 2010, and declined to 3.4% in 2019 (relative reduction of 86%, P<0.001). Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea/Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome (58.2%), Neuromuscular Diseases (NMD) (26.8%) and COPD (13.6%) accounted for most cases of this non-adherent cohort. The vast majority of the patients (96.1%) were established on full-face masks. In 23.4% of patients, substantial weight loss (>10%) was the most common reason for low adherence; general displeasure (21.3%), uncontrolled symptoms (12.8%), claustrophobia (6.7%), mood (4.8%) and mask intolerance (4.3%) caused problems as well.

Conclusions: Non-adherence to HMV in patients with chronic HRF can affect significant proportions of patients. However, the non-adherent rate substantially decreases when individual treatment solutions are offered in multi-disciplinary clinics.

Keywords: Hypercapnic respiratory failure; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); neuromuscular disease; non-invasive ventilation; obesity hypoventilation syndrome.

We develop a novel maximum neighborhood margin discriminant projection (MNMDP) technique for dimensionality reduction of high-dimensional data. It utilizes both the local information and class information to model the intraclass and interclass neighborhood scatters. By maximizing the margin between intraclass and interclass neighborhoods of all points, MNMDP cannot only detect the true intrinsic manifold structure of the data but also strengthen the pattern discrimination among different classes. To verify the classification performance of the proposed MNMDP, it is applied to the PolyU HRF and FKP databases, the AR face database, and the UCI Musk database, in comparison with the competing methods such as PCA and LDA. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of our MNMDP in pattern classification.